Conventionally, three-dimensional scanners generate point cloud data made of a set of points representing three-dimensional coordinates of a three-dimensional surface shape of a substance. The point cloud data is generally not suitable for three-dimensional processing and is thus often converted into three-dimensional shape data of a surface model or a solid model (three-dimensional CAD model data used in CAD, for example) before use.
However, in the conventional technique, it may be difficult to appropriately convert data of points such as a hole and a dent when generating the three-dimensional shape data from the point cloud data using a free curved surface shape, for example. With a failure in the data conversion, an operator needs to correct the data, which will increase his or her workload.
According to an embodiment, an computer program product including programmed instructions, wherein the instructions cause the computer to perform acquiring, changing, first generating, second generating, and synthesizing. The acquiring includes acquiring first point cloud data including three-dimensional coordinates of a position on a first three-dimensional surface shape. The changing includes changing, using a three-dimensional element shape, the first three-dimensional surface shape represented by the first point cloud data to a second three-dimensional surface shape. The first generating includes generating second point cloud data including-three-dimensional coordinates of a surface position on the second three-dimensional surface shape. The second generating includes generating, from the second point cloud data, second shape data representing the second three-dimensional shape by a surface model representing a three-dimensional surface shape by a curved surface or a three-dimensional solid model having a volume. The synthesizing includes synthesizing element shape data of the surface model or the solid model and the second shape data to generate first shape data representing the surface model or the solid model of the first three-dimensional shape.